Wire electrical discharge machine

Abstract

A wire electrical discharge machine recognizes that the finished piece (core) has been separated from the piece of work as a result of electrical discharge machining, allows fluid to be jetted against the finished piece (core) from the lower nozzle so that the finished piece (core) floats upward, recognizes that the finished piece (core) has floated upward by a predetermined amount on the basis of the completion of the process program or the information gained from the sensor, and allows the core removal unit to catch the finished piece (core) for removal and collection after it has been recognized that the finished piece (core) has floated upward by the predetermined amount.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wire electrical discharge machine, where a wire electrode is held between an upper wire guide unit above and a lower wire guide unit beneath a piece of work, and said wire electrode and said piece of work are made to move relative to each other in accordance with a process program so that said piece of work is processed by said wire electrode through electrical discharge machining so as to cut out a core, comprising:
 a fluid jetting unit for jetting a fluid against said piece of work; 
 a fluid supplying unit for supplying fluid to said fluid jetting unit; 
 a core separation recognition unit for recognizing that the core has been separated from said piece of work as a result of electrical discharge machining; 
 an upward movement execution unit for moving said upper guide unit to a predetermined location after said core separation recognition unit has recognized the separation of the core; 
 a core floating execution unit for floating said core by jetting fluid from said fluid jetting unit through the control of said fluid supplying unit; 
 a core floating recognition unit for recognizing that said core has floated by a predetermined amount; 
 a core removal unit for catching said core for removal and collection after said core floating recognition unit has recognized that said core has floated by said predetermined amount; and 
 a core sorting unit for sorting said core after said core has been collected by said core removal unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said fluid supplying unit includes a process liquid pump, and said liquid is a process liquid that is supplied from said process liquid pump and is used for electrical discharge machining. 
     
     
       3. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said fluid supplying unit includes a compressor, and said fluid is compressed air supplied from said compressor. 
     
     
       4. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core separation recognition unit recognizes that said core has been separated from said piece of work through the analysis of said program. 
     
     
       5. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core separation recognition unit recognizes that said core has been separated from said piece of work through the detection of a predetermined physical quantity that fluctuates in relation with the position of said core relative to said piece of work. 
     
     
       6. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 5 , wherein said predetermined physical quantity is detected through the usage of a pressure gauge, a contact sensor or a distance sensor. 
     
     
       7. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core separation recognition unit recognizes that said core has been separated from said piece of work through the analysis of said program and recognizes that said core has been separated from said piece of work through the detection of a predetermined physical quantity that fluctuates in relation with the position of said core relative to said piece of work. 
     
     
       8. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core floating recognition unit recognizes that said core has floated by said predetermined amount through the detection of a predetermined physical quantity that fluctuates in relation with the position relative to said core. 
     
     
       9. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core removal unit is a robot. 
     
     
       10. The wire electrical discharge machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said core sorting unit is formed of a robot and an image recognition unit.